Slitter drive



Aug. 26, 1930. L. L. DUPUIS ET AL 1,774,133

SLITTER' DRIVE Filed Sept. 20, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet s ting and trimming aims to improve t p....'...d Au 2 1930- UNITED STATES LEON I DUPUIS AND EDWARD HENRY VIGARY, OF PQRT ANGELES, WASHINGTON.

PATENT-OFFICE SLITTER DRIVE Application filed'septe nber 20,1927. Serial 1%. 220,732.

This invention relates to machines for slitp'aper at high speeds and e mounting of the slitters and the driving means therefor. The invention contemplates mounting the slitting cutters on independent arbors or shafts and pro viding each cutter or slitter with its "individual driving motor, thereby enabling adjustments or replacements of the slitters to be made quickly andeasily, and eliminating the trouble ordinarily occasioned by vibration' of the slitter shafts.-

More particularly, the invention relates to improvements inslitting attachments for paper making .machines of wide width. .Heretofore insIitting the paper web from such machines which, in some instances, approach or exceed twenty feetin width, the shafts carrying the slitter-disks are supported in bearings on theside frames of the machine and are subject, when driven at high speed, to-considerable vibration and Wabbling, resulting in uneven and imperfect slitting of the paper'web. I a

One of the principal aims-and advantages of our invention is the improvement of the mount-ing a nd'driving of the slitter disks so as to avoid the above described condition. Another aim of this invention is to provide a system of motor control applicableto machines'of this type, but not limited thereto, whereby the motors may be started'and stopped from a-distant point, and whereby either a quick or a coasting step may be made, the'quick stop being accomplished by the utilization of electric current fordynamic. braking.

Other objects and advantages of this in-'- vention wil-l be apparent. from the following. specification taken in conjunction withwthe appended drawings, wherein v Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section, onfa vertical plane, of a'slitting. machine embodying the invention Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the motor bed assembly;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional detail view taken on the-line 3-3 in-Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 atra'nsverseview of the slitting machine, partlym' section and partly in eletaken.

.vation, taken on the line 44 in Fig. 1, look- .ing in the direction of the arrows;

"-Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of prising suitable framework 1 whereon rollers, such as 2 and 3, carry a broad web of paper or nether sheet material 4, from' a sourceof supply not shown, to a slitter board 5, over which it passes to slitting means located at the point 6, and thence in narrow sheets 7 side-by side over a guide roll 8, under'the first'of a pair of winding rolls 9, onto a core 10. The rolls build up on this core 10 .in the manner usual in this art, a full sized roll being indicated at 11. The details of the roll-handling mechanism, including suitable counterweights 12, are of a type known in this art.

The slitter units, which will be described in detail below, are mounted upon a bed transverse to the direction of travel of the paper (see Figs. .1 and 4) comprised of two parallel I-beams 13 placed transversely across the full width of the machine and built into the frame thereof, fastened together at in- The mounting for each slitter unit is adapt ed for independent movement along the beams 13. Each mounting comprises a top plate 18 and bottom plate 19, connected b bolts and nuts 20. (See Figs. 2 and Each top plate 18 is held in alignment on the tops 0 said beams by a groove in each yside complementary to the shape thereof. "The bottom plates 19' are adapted to be clamped against the flat under surfaces 17 of the beam top flanges to secure the mounting in place by setting up thebolts and nuts 20 I Each slitter unit includes an electricimotor 21, mounted with" its axis parallel to the I-beams 13 upon the top plate 18, upon the shaft 22 of which motor a wheel-like bottom slitter 23 is secured. A knife edge top slit-. ter 24 in the form of a beveled edge disk is loosely journaled in suitable bearings carried by a bracket 25 and adjusted to slightly overlap one side of the bottom slitter. (See Fig. 4.) The motor 21 may beof any usual construction, such as a standard induction motor, either one-phase, twoephase or threepha'se. v v

Referring particularly to Figs. 4 and 6, the bottom slitter 23 is of sufii cient diameter to project well above the top of the motor housing, having a widened rim 26, which is smooth, with a flat face and sharp edges. In the particular type of machine constituting the preferred embodiment of our invention illustrated .by the accompanying drawings the bottom slitter 23 is about 16 inches in diameter .with a rim about 1% inches wide. This bottom slitter 23.is mounted upon an extension 27 of the motor shaft 22 between two circular h ubs 28 and 29 having enlarged flanges 30, 31,with bearing faces perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 27, facing one another and holding the bottom slitter 23 between them. The inner of these hubs 28,

is press fitted or shrunk upon the extension 27, while the slitter 23 and the outer hub 29 are close sliding fits thereon,- and are set up against the inner hub by means of a nut 32 and lock nut 33 on the end of the extension 27.

bracket or extension 38 inthe shape of an,

inverted L, to the longer, vertical, side of which a horizontal stub shaft 39 is secured. The top slitter 24 rotates uponfthis shaft, suitable fastening and lubricating means 40,

which it' is not necessary to describe in detail being provided. The brackets 25, by means of the clamping collars 34, which are rot-ata ble and slidable .upon the shaft 35, may be ad usted and clamped in their respective positions above and parallel to the transverse I I-beams 13, to, supportthe upper slitter disks disks 23.

The arm 36 may be reversed to present the slitter disks 24-to either hand so as to cooperate with either edge of the lower slitters 23, and may be raised to prevent cutting or to permit adjustment or removal of the lower slitters. Thus the slitter disks or cutters of the several slitter units may be adjustedindependently of each other to suit the width of strips to be severed and to make clean cuts,

and may {be removed independently for sharpening or replacement without affecting the adjustment of'the others.- 1

'As illustrated by Fig.6, the'bearings of the motor shaft 22, carrying the lower slitter 23, .are carried in end bells 41 forming the ends of the motor housing and supporting low boss 47, with arcuate ventilating openings 48. A. cover 49 issuitably fastened upon the outside of the-boss47 as by cap screws 5O. The motor shaft 22 and extension 27 pass through aligned central bearing holes in the boss and in the cap,,these bearings having suitable oil retaining grooves 51, 52. The roller bearing, 42 withinthe boss is of the type having rollers 53 between tapered inner and outer races 54 and 55. =The'inner race 54 makes a force fit on the shaft, abutting against a shoulder 56 thereon. This race 54 is flanged at both edges to bear against the ends of the rollers 53, and the inclination of the bearing surfaces of both races is such that inward movement of the outer race transmittedjthrough the rollers forces the shaft 22 inwardly. By this means end play in the motor shaft can be taken up by axial movement. of-the outer race 55. In our preferred construction this axial adjustment is accomplished by an annular head 57 on the inside of the cover 49, 'fitting.inside the boss 47. This bead 57 bearsagainst the outer race 55- of the roller bearing, and the amount of lnward pro jection of said bead is regulated by insertion or removal of shims 58 between i the boss and the cup, and by backing off or setting up' the cap screws 50 in the manner usual in such Work.

The motors 21 for driving the lower slitters 23 maybe of any suitable design adapted for operation by any kind of electric current,

but preferably power is supplied by a three Ila-mic braking is provided by a two wire direct current'circuit 62, both controlled by means of a suitable contactor deviceincluding a reversible switch 63 (see Fig. 5), illustrated as of the multi-pole double throw mag- 24 in cooperative relation to the lower slitter netically operated type. The invention comprises a remote control device for the contactor orvswitch ,63 to permit starting and stopping the slitter motors simultaneously, the stopping being accelerated by a dynamic brake of anyconvenienttype. 'It is contemplated that an the motors in any given installation will ordinarily be of identical size and 'wire alternating currentci-rcuit- Gland dybut to allow only one to be, closed at the same U cycle three-phase alternating current supply for driving, and to a direct current ,supply.

L fordynamic braking; The dynamicbraking is accomplished by cutting ofiY-the alternating current and connecting the direct current across one; hase of. a polyphase motor or across the old of a-single phasemotor, as

the case may be: The switches in the con' 'tactor 63 are interlocked in any manner usual in this art, so that both maybe open at once,

time. Our remote control, for starting and stopping the motors, is operatedfrom a push button station comprising a starting button 64 and a stopping button 65 which actuate the contactors 63, to connect either the ower circuit 61'or the braking circuit 62 to t e motor leads 66. Thepus'h-button circuitsjare energized by beingconnected across two of the phase wires supply circuit 61.

The startingl button circuit comprises a lead 67 from t an overload circuit breaker 68, and through 3:, contacts which are normally closed byithe stopping button-65 when said button is not pressed, but are opened by pressure thereon.

The starting button contacts are normally open but are'closedby pressure on the start- 4! ing button 65,, .allowing flow of current through a solenoid coil 69 in the-contactor which throwsthe switch 63. to connect the,

supply conductors 61 with the motor leadsj66, and back to another phase wire of the supply 4:. ,61 through a conductor 70. A self-holding contact 71 in a shunt circuit 72 is automatically actuated when thestarting circuit is energized, closing the shunt circuit and bridging the gap made when pressure on the starting 5 button 64 is released, so that thefsolenoid 69 will continue to be energized after release' of the starting button. -This shunt circuit 7 2 includes the stopping button 65, and is normally closed thereby, but when the stopping but- \fi ton is depressed theshunt circuit is open and the coil 69 is de-energized. The stopping button circuit comprisesthe same'lead 67 from the middle conductor and the same overload stop 68 as the startingbutton circuit just described, together-with a ,contact through the stopping button 65 and' the c'onnection 7 3.1eadin'g to anothersolenoid 74 in the contactor for reversingthe switch 63, and through which and the conductor 7O- the current may return to the other wire of the alternating current I switch mechanism may be utilized forthe.

e middle conductor, through '-the motors.

By .the oprationxof the above-described electrical control all. motors may be started simultaneously and stopped simultaneously,

by pressing the appropriate button 64'or 65.

--To efi'ect a braking stop the-stopping button 65 must be held down until the rotation ceases, *for the reason that the stopping control' circuit is not provided with means to maintain the'circuit through the solenoid 74, when the stopping button 65is released.

A- coasti'ngstop of'the motors 21 is accomplished by pressing the button 65 only momentarily, thereby de-energi'zing the self "holding contact 71 and the solenoid 69, and energizing the solenoid 74, to causethe opening of the A. C. circuit. This will also close the D. O. circuit momentarily, but not for a sufficient time to bring about any material dynamic' brpking, for the reason that the switch will open as soon as the stopping button 65 is released. In this manner-the power will v be cut off the motors and they will simply die I down.

Any suitable type of solenoid. operated contactOr that provides for closing the circuit through the motor loads 66, from the alter nating current supply 61 when the solenoid 69 is energized, and from the'direct current supply 62 when the solenoid 7 4 is energized, and to open the circuit through the motor loads 66 when neither solenoid is energized.

' From the foregoing, it is seen that the elec trical features of our -inVention,-di'agrammati- =7" cally illustrated in Fig.5, comprise suitable connectionsand control devices for bringing the motors to either a braking stop or a coasting stop, and means for simultaneously controlling all of the motors from a single station.

In the operation of our apparatus the location of theslitter units to make the required cuts in the web is accomplished by sliding each motor-to its proper position on the beams 13 and there clamping it, and bybringing each top cutter into corresponding position along the shaft 35 and clampingit in 1 the switch 63, and putting the alternating current power on the motors 21. The feeding and windingrollsare now started, the web. runsthrough, being'cut on-the run at the points intended by the slit-ter units, and the resulting narrow webs 7 are wound up at the'far end of the machine into a roll 11, as illustratedin Fig. 1.. The supply is replenished and the j finished rolls are removed in any suitable mannerusual in this art.

It will be seen from the foregoing that we have invented a slitter drive characterized;

by accuracy of adjustment and smoothness of operation with resultant straightness and clea'niieSs of cut, due to the individual mounting of the slitters and to the absence of vibration attendant upon the use of a shaft extending the width of the machine, such as has been used in the prior art to rotate thebottom slitters. 1

It will be" seen from the above description that the slitter units can be adjusted to any position across them'achine, either for slitting a web into desired widthsor for trimming the edges, and'may be removed for sharpening or other purposes, each entirelyindependently of the others.

Having described a preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves thereto,.but recogi nizing that the principles of the invention are applicable to other forms of apparatus, we desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim the following:

1. In a Web or. sheet slitting machine, in combination, a plurality of slitter units, each comprising a bottom slitter secured upon a relatively short shaft, means for independent ly rotating the shaft of each unit at substan tially the same speed, independent supporting means for each of said shafts adjacent to theslitter carried thereby, and a top slitter removably mounted upon a shaft parallel to the axis-of the bottom slitter and adapted to coact therewith.

2. In a web or sheetslitting machine, a plurality of slitter units transversely adjustable in an axial' direction to cut wide widths of paper or like material into narrow widths,

axis of the bottom, slitters each of said units comprising a bottom slitter secured upon a relatively shortshaft, means for rotating the shaft of each unit independently of the other units, and a top slitter ad-- j ustably mounted upon a shaft parallel to the v and adapted to coact'therewith. I v 3. In a web or sheet "slitting machine, in combination, a plurality of slitter units, each including a bottom slitter rigidly secured upon an independent, relatively short, axially 7 adjustable shaft, and eachcoacting with an substantially the same speed as the others.

adjustably mounted top slitter, said short shafts being each independently driven at i 4. In a web or sheet slitting machine, in combination; a plurality of slitter units, each comprising a bottom slitter rigidly secured upon a relatively'short shaft mounted independently of the otherunits, and a top slitter adjustably mounted on a shaft parallel'to the axis of said bottom slitter and adapted to coat therewith, said bottom slitter being axially adjustable and removable independently of said top slitter.

5. In a web or sheet slitting machine, in c'ombination,.a plurality of slitter units, each comprising a bottom slitter rigidly secured upon a relatively short shaft mounted independently of the other units, and a top slitter mounted on a shaftparallel to the axis of said bottom slitter. and adapted to coact therewith, said top slitter being vertically and laterally adjustable.

6. A slitting attachment for paper maknarrower strips, comprising a plurality .of slitter units adjustable transversely of the machine, each unit comprising'a relatively short shaft, independent driving means for each shaft at substantially the same speed as the "other units, a bottom cutter rigidly secured upon each of said shafts, and atopslitter rotatably mounted upona shaft parallel to the axis of the bottom slitter shaft,

said units being independently adjustable laterally with respect to each other, and said slitters being independently removable for sharpening and replacement.

7. In combination, in a slitter, a frame, a plurality of top slitters carried thereby, a transverse-beam below said top slitter, a plurality of drive mountings adapted to slide along and to be clamped in position upon said beam, and an individually'driven bottom slitter disk upon each of said mountings adapted for coaction with one of said topslitters, thereby to provide for independent position- .in'gand adjustment of said slitters.

comprising a series of upper shears and a co-' operatmg series of independently ad ustable lower rotating shear units; a,mounting for said lower shear units comprlslng a pair of parallel I-beams in permanently spaced relation, and individual unit mountings cooperating therewith and each comprising a slidable unit-carrying top plate spanning said beams and fitting the top webs thereof, and a bottom plate depending from said top plate and adapted to be clampedagainst the undersides of said top webs to hold said mounting in adjustment to rigidly maintain its respective lower shear in cooperative position relative to its cooperating, upper shear.

mg machines of the character described, adapted to slit wide widths of paper into 10. In a Web or sheet slitting machine, in combination, a plurality of slitter units, each comprising a bottom slitter rigidly secured upon a relatively short shaft, said several shafts being independently rotatable and arranged in substantially axial relation to each other, and each unit further comprising a top slitter rcmovably mounted on a shaft parallel to the axis of said bottom slitter and adapted to coact therewith.

11. In a web or sheet slitting machine, in combination, a plurality of slitter units, each comprising a bottom slitter rigidly secured upon a relatively short shaft adapted to be rotated at substantially the same speed as the other units and in axial alignment therewith, said units being independently adjustable laterally with respect to each other, and said slitters being independently adjustable and removable for sharpening and replacement.

12. In a slitting machine for use with paper making machines. a plurality of upper cutters mounted upon a transverse support and axially adjustable thereon. a corresponding number of transversely disposed lower slitters for coaction with said upper cutters, a relatively short supporting member for each lower slitter having independent bear, ings therefor closely adjacent the slitter. and means for driving the lower slittcrs independently of each other.

of paper or like material -into narrower widths, each of said units comprising a bottom slitter, individual electric motors for ro- K tating said bottom slitter's independently of each other and including a relatively short armature shaft on which'the bottom slitter is mounted, and a top slitter adjustably mounted upon a support parallel to the axis of the bottom slitter and adapted to coact therewith.

17 In a web or sheet slitting machine as defined in claim "16 characterized by a transversely extending beam on which the motors are adjustably mounted, and clamping means for securing said motors in adjusted positions on said beam.

18. In a slitting machine as defined in claim 14 characterized by the upper cutters comprising a cutter-carrying arm ad ustably I secured in a supporting bracket, said supporting bracket being laterally adjustable along the fixed partof the machine.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

LEON L. DUPUIS. EDWARD HENRY VICARY.

13. In a slitting attachment for use with paper making machines, comprising a support extending transversely of the machine, a plurality of lower slitter units slidably mounted thereon and adjustably secured thereto, each of said units comprising a motor bracket. a motor mounted on said bracket and provided with an armature shaft extension. a paper slitting disk detachably secured to said shaft. in combination with cooperating adjustably mounted. disk cutters, each adapted to cooperate with a disk of a lower slitter unit and driven thereby.

14. In a slitting machine, a plurality of upper cutters rotatably suspended from a fixed part of the machine and in spaced transverse relation. a plurality of lower slitters each adapted to coact with a corresponding upper cutter to slit paper passing therebetween. a series of short shafts, each carrying one of the lower slitters and arranged in spaced relation transversely of the web of paper. and independent means for rotating each slitter supporting shaft.

15. In combination, in a slitting machine. a cutting unit comprising a. top and a. bottom slitter, said top slitter including a freely rotatable shear supported by a vertically and transversely adjustable arm. and said bot-tom slitter comprising a driven rotatable shear and driving means therefor mounted upon a common base. said base being transversely adjustable in parallelism to the adjustment of said arm, whereby either of said rotatable 

